These Four Words
by novemberthird
Summary: An edited version of Lily's confession in 'Of the Stag.' There were four words James would have given anything in order to never hear coming from his wife. Four words that caused anxiety to anyone they were directed towards because surely that meant you had somehow – up.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 _(January 1980)_

There were four words James would have given anything in order to never hear coming from his wife. Four words that caused anxiety to anyone they were directed towards because surely that meant you had somehow fucked up.

The four words?

'Jamie, can we talk,' she asked, leaning against the kitchen doorway.

He felt his heartbeat quicken at her words.

He knew that she was attempting to soften up whatever news would inevitably change his life. Knew it by the manner in which she said Jamie and the way her eyes seemed conflicted.

It wasn't unusual for him to be caught out of bed, pacing in one room or another. It had become a habit of his in the month since his parents' passings. He supposed it was only slightly better than turning into Prongs and hoping his troubles would disappear.

'I'm sorry,' he said sincerely, begging her with his eyes to forgive him for causing her any amount of distress. 'I know I've been a bit reclusive and probably haven't been the best husband lately. I–'

Lily moved closer to him, bringing her hands up to cup his face, 'I'm not mad.' She pressed a soft kiss onto his jaw, letting it linger for a second and leaving the swarm of butterflies living in his stomach fluttering. 'I get it,' she said, placing her head against his chest. He felt her take a deep breath before lifting her gaze up to meet his. 'That's not what I wanted to talk about.' She let go of him, taking a step back.'I've been keeping something from you.'

His eyes studied her for a moment, watching as her hands wrapped around herself. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but he knew he just had to let her say what she had to say. So instead he pushed his glasses up, prolonging the unavoidable. 'Oh,' he responded.

His mind started running over anything that Lily could have potentially had a problem with and came up empty.

He gave her a confused look that she met with a small smile, 'I'm pregnant.'

For a moment he stood frozen unable to process what she had just confessed. His face split into a grin before he was picking her up, spinning her and placing kisses on every inch of skin , relishing in the feeling of Lily. He heard her giggling as she tightened her grasp around his neck.

'So you're not upset? ' She asked him as he set her down.

He cupped her face gently, bringing his lips down to meet hers in a kiss that expressed what he couldn't say in words. The never-ending love he felt for her and their unborn child, the sadness he still felt over the loss of his parents, the happiness at the news .

He pulled away slightly despite wanting nothing but to feel the warmth of her lips pressed against his. 'This is great. I'm–' He looked at her with tears in his eyes,caressing her cheek lightly. 'We're going to be parents, Lil.' He could hear the awe in his own voice as he placed his forehead against hers.

'I only wished they had known,' he mumbled.

'They did,' she said, her fingers playing with the locks of hair at the back of his neck. He let a sigh escape his lips before tilting his head slightly in confusion. 'I told them a few days after I found out,' she confessed. She paused before adding, 'A few days before they passed away.'

James kissed her again, mumbling his gratitude. Reluctantly pulling away, she giggled and with a coy smile said, 'Let's take this to the bedroom.'

He could already feel his body reacting to her words. He wanted nothing more than to touch her, to feel her press against him and send his mind spiraling into a delicious sort of madness.

Interlinking her fingers with his, she led him away from kitchen. He still felt the need to ask what had begun to worry him at the mention of their bedroom.

'It's not going to hurt our baby, is it?' He could hear the slight tremble in his voice at the thought of possibly hurting the child that already held a strong grasp on his heart.

She squeezed his hand in hers in reassurance before turning to face him. She gazed at him lovingly, an expression he knew was mirrored on his own. 'No, it's not going to hurt our baby. '


End file.
